Although mineral deficiencies in people are more common than vitamin deficiencies, medical researchers have proven that vitamin deficiencies are a big concern. According to some estimations, there is around 25 percent of adult people who suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency and you need to take good care of your body through your diet in order to improve your Vitamin B12 levels.

An overview of Vitamin B12

If you need to get through an afternoon meeting, or an intense workout that you don’t want to do then vitamin B12 is the right thing for you. It also promotes weight loss and it can be used as a supplement in your daily diet. Vitamin B12 helps transport oxygen to blood cells and that is why it can make you feel as if you have more energy since it enables the production of more oxygenated blood cells.

Why do you need it?

According to Dr. Mercola, Vitamin B12 is really essential for our body since it can help with multiple body processes and aid the proper functioning of different body systems:

Improved digestion

Good circulation

Circulation of red blood cells

Improved reproductive health in women

Adrenal hormone production

Carbohydrate and fat metabolism

Proper nervous system functioning

Mental clarity and memory function

Who is at risk for deficiency of Vitamin B12?

There are a few groups of people who might be at risk for B12 deficiency due to their diet and lifestyle. Some of these include:

Yellow skin which can start deteriorating as a result of Vitamin B12 deficiency

Losing the ability to taste and recognize food which might be caused by not enough B12

Unbalanced dopamine and serotonin levels which can lead to anxiety and depression

Optic nerve damage which causes double, or blurred vision

Foods rich in Vitamin B12

You need to be aware that plants don’t produce Vitamin B12 since they don’t need it. The only sources to get this vitamin from are fortified or animal products. Below, we present you some foods that have vitamin B12:

Dairy food (cow milk, cottage cheese, yogurt and cream cheese)

Seafood (shrimps, scallops, cod, salmon, and tuna)

Meat (beef, lamb, pork, goat, turkey)

Vegan sources (fortified coconut milk and nutritional yeast)

If your diet is not providing you with enough Vitamin B12, then you need to start using supplements which will enable your body to function properly.